The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-02-24
DOGS WHO OWNED HIM.
Stories Showing How They Pos
sessed Their Master"
Old Fop who Ate Frutt-Small Fan with
Big Heart-Nora's Way of Prving
Up . Window-Restless Fidget.

have been owned by a good many
dogs in the course of my life, and l am
not a little proud of the fact. They say
it is good sign in man when children
and dogs take kindly to him. All dogs
take kindly to me, and look upon it as
an Endorsement of some merit in my
character. The first desire of every
well-balanced dog is to own man.
Without such possession he is spurned
by his fellows and despised by small
boys.
All dogs know at once whether a
stranger of their own race owns man
or not. Whether it is the hang of his
ears and tail, or u general negligence
about his personal appearance. or lack
of confidence in his general bearing, l
can not say, but certain it is that all
well-fixed, or ill-fxed. dogs at once de-
tect a manless brother bow-wow. The
tramp-dog recognizes his fellow tramp
dogs, and consorts with him.
There are dogs who are tramps by
nature, who will never stick to mas
ter; but such cases. l am happy to say,
are very rare-more rare than even
tramp-cats, who, one would think. from
their natural love of warmth and COM
fort, would jump at any kind of de-
cent home. And yet am personally
acquainted with several tramp-cats and
very nice, decent cats. too.
Spp,o ,,o,, tbtpl- thn,, ,,,,,, Ioo-, ,ol
perhaps Il few of them do, but as gen.
cral rule the dog owns the man. For
my part, would not care two straws
for Il dog l had to own. Iprefer being
owned, and glory in my servitude.
The first dog 1 remember who took
possession of me was u black and white
spaniel, which my father brought home
when l was boy. 1t selected me at
once, out of six children. as its master,
and it Glove to me ever after. We chris
tened him Fop. He was not fop.
however, but rather grouty old dog.
with Il chronic growl. which meant
nothing.
have never seen another dog with
that growl He would growl and wag
his tail at the same time. He growled
when he was pleased, just as a cat
purrs. He was II most intelligent dog.
and understood every word l said to
him. There was no need of any motion
0f the hands, or even of the mouth or
eyes. 1t was not necessary even to look
ut him to make him comprehend.
lie used to be in ecstasies if would
allo,i him to accompany me in my
walk but were going to any place
wher, | could not take him. had only
to sa., "Fop, go home," and he would
sink @.owly back, looking round every
noN aud then with the most piteous ex-
p ,'sion, in hope of seeing some show
II relenting on my part Then. if 1 did
relent, he would come tearing after me
and whirl himself round and round, like
a pin-wheel on the Fourth of July.
Fop was very fond of fruit. and would
make excursions round the garden when
the gooscberries were ripe and pick
them off the bushes. In cherry time l
used often to climb up the trees to pick
the fruit (perhaps no boy ever did such
thing before), which l would throw
down. while Fop kept guard below.
He never thought of touching one till l
gave him permission, but when said:
''Those are for you, Fop,"' he would
pOunce on the bunch indicated like cat
on mouse, and gobble it up immedi-
ately.
Fopused to do many wonderful things,
] am certain, though forget now what
they were, for he rcigned forty years
20. He stuck to me faithfully for
MANY years, and, l know, would never
have given me up, had he not been
stolen one day in the crowded streets.
I never saw the poor fellow again.
The next dog, remember, who
owned me was King Charles spaniel,
which was so small that it could stand
on the palm of my hand. She took
possession of me; SO had to buy her
for two dollars and half, which was a
pretty good price for a dog in those
days. Though her body was small, her
heart was as big as lions. She was
afraid of nothing, and would have at
tackled an ironclad ii it had come in her
way.
One day l saw her run after and furi-
ously assail huge Newfoundland dog,
big enough to swallow her whole like
an oyster. As soon as the big dog be-
came aware that he was attacked, he
turned round his head, gave one look
at the tiny aggressor, and then, with
the magnanimity peculiar to dogs,
walked on without taking any further
notice.
Another time took her out to walk
across the fields to place where they
were building railway bridge over u
dixie or ditch about forty feet wide.
The roadway Of the bridge was not
completed. but o single beam Of timber
ran from the top Of one bank to the
other.
Over this crossed. but my little dog
Fan did not notice it. When she saw
me at the other side, she scampered
down to the waters edge. and after
sni1lng st II once or twice. plunged II
and swan after me. trs
Ths middle Of the stream was filled
with vesds, end in these she became 4